Oil and gas operations involve drilling deep within subterranean formations to access hydrocarbon reserves. There are many phases during such operations, including drilling, casing the wellbore, fracturing, removal of hydrocarbons, water flooding, as well as numerous other activities during the life and course of the wellbore. Involved in these phases is the need to pump various fluids down into the wellbore for a variety of reasons, depending on the phase and required needs of the project.
The pumping of these various fluids requires surface equipment including pumps, pipes, valves and other components used to complete the piping system, as well as downhole components. During pumping operations, inevitably high pressures are often reached within the system. Such high pressures can create life threatening safety hazards. For example if any of the pumping components fail as pressure exceeds safe levels, the contents under pressure or the failed components could cause harm to workers within the vicinity or result in damaged equipment.
In an effort to avoid such excessive pressure conditions, pressure relief valves have been employed, which upon reaching a particular pressure threshold provide a relief outlet for the fluid so as to prevent potentially dangerous pressure conditions.
It should be understood that the various embodiments are not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the drawings.